Steve Garvey, the former baseball star turned Republican Senate candidate, has pulled off a surprising victory in the fundraising game.
New Federal Election Committee (FEC) reports show Garvey outraised Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff in the latest quarter, marking a significant shift in the California Senate race.
From April to June, Garvey’s campaign brought in $5.4 million, surpassing Schiff’s $4.2 million.
This is the first time Garvey has topped Schiff in fundraising since the race began.
Garvey celebrated the achievement on social media, highlighting the broad support his campaign has attracted.
“Over 110,000 individuals contributed to Garvey’s campaign since he announced it on Oct. 10, 2023, with 67,000 individuals in the second quarter of 2024 alone,” he tweeted.
In a statement, Garvey pointed to voter fatigue with the current political climate.
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“Californians are tired of the status quo,” he said. “They are tired of the division, they are tired of Washington, D.C., not working together, they are tired of Adam Schiff representing his party bosses rather than them, and now they are speaking up with their checkbooks.”
This fundraising boost comes at a critical time for both campaigns.
Adam Schiff has called Joe Biden to drop out from the 2024 presidential race. Why? Because Steve Garvey has raised more money since April and started leading in most recent polling.pic.twitter.com/rokbV8GC4m
— Scott Adams (@scottadamsshow) July 17, 2024
Recent national events, including President Biden’s debate performance and growing calls for him to step aside, may be influencing down-ticket races like this one.
Schiff’s campaign hasn’t publicly responded to Garvey’s fundraising success.
However, Schiff supporters point out that he still holds a substantial lead in both polling and cash on hand. FEC filings show Schiff with $6.4 million available, compared to Garvey’s $3.3 million.
Despite this advantage, political analysts suggest Schiff should be wary.
LA-based pollster Angie Friedman told reporters, “It may be a simple outraising of funds, but that is also still a victory. Not many recent GOP Senate candidates in California can claim that.”
Friedman also noted that Schiff’s recent break from Biden, suggesting he should drop out of the presidential race, could impact his support. “A lot of his backers will not like that. So donations and support is going to suffer,” she explained.
For Garvey, this fundraising win could signal growing momentum.
🚨BREAKING: Former Professional Baseball Steve Garvey Says, "The 2020 Election was Rigged and President Trump Won the Election."
Do you agree with Steve Garvey?
YES or NO? pic.twitter.com/2sXqQ42DLb— Save America 🇺🇲 (@usanews0) July 16, 2024
His campaign message of “building consensus and legislating with common sense and compassion” seems to be striking a chord with donors.
If this trend continues, it could reshape the dynamics of the race heading into the final stretch.
The California Senate race is now shaping up to be more competitive than initially expected.
Garvey’s ability to outpace Schiff in fundraising, even for a single quarter, indicates that voters may be more open to change than previously thought.
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As the campaign progresses, all eyes will be on whether Garvey can translate this financial support into votes come election day.
